GeForce G310 Fermi - Nvidia news! 2010

As we’ve mentioned in a previous article, nVIDIA has decided to abandon the dual-PCB design for their next high-level models, those that feature two GPUs working in parallel. After many rumors, here are the images of the new GeForce GTX295 single-PCB.

As it can be seen from the images, thanks to the new single-PCB design, nVIDIA was able to modify and simplify the heatsink. Although the card still takes two slots, the simplifications have lowered manufacturing costs, which can probably result in a lower final price for the customers as well.

Expected to launch by the end of this month, the new GeForce GTX295 single-PCB will keep all the technical specifications of the dual-PCB model: Two GT200 in parallel, 448bit memory interface x 2, 240 stream processors for each core, 1792MB GDDR3 memory and frequencies at 576/1242/1998MHz for core, shader and memory, respectively.

We’ll leave you to the images. Enjoy.

Click on the thumbnail to view the full image

There’s not much time left till the release of Nvidia’s new GTX295, which will be remade based on the current layout found on the HD4870 X2 with a single PCB. The specifications remain the same: the two GPU integrates 240 stream processors each, with the frequencies at 1242Mhz. The graphic chip has the frequency of 576Mhz. Each chip comes with 896Mb of video memory with a 448bit bandwidth, and their frequencies are set at 1998Mhz.

The first proposals from the several nVidia partners should be launched probably next week.

Nvidia has increased the orders for the 40nm graphic chips from their partner company, Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) from Taiwan. The news was leaked through internal sources from Graphic Cards manufacturers and accoding to them, Nvidia is expecting an manufacturing increase of 30% by the end of this year.

Nvidia has recently finished projecting the new GPU generation GT300 with 40nm chips manufactured by TSMC. Always according to Taiwan sources, the company would also have shown interest towards the 28nm technology that is being developed by TSMC, whose production should start at the first trimester of 2010.

Conclusion - Final

The cooling system also is worth mentioning for the temperatures it manages to keep, especially when in full load, which hardly goes over the 70°C on the CPUs.

So this card is definitely a good choice for those that want a high-end model, but don’t want to spend the high amount it takes for a GTX285, for example, preferring to save some money for the intermediate solution.

Conclusion - Part 1

At the end of this review, it’s time to make our conclusions. With the GTX275 solution, nVidia has closed the gap between the GTX260 and GTX285 solutions, proposing a valid alternative to the new ATI HD4890.

MSI, on its part, has enhanced the result achieved by nVIDIA, proposing a very interesting model, with a much better heatsink than the reference model, which allowed the company to raise the base frequencies (666/1476/2322 Mhz), giving better margin for users to overclock, by keeping the standard cooling system.

Company of Heroes - DirectX 10

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 58.1
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 56.2
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 56.1
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 53.1

Call of Juarez - DirectX 10

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 44.1
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 38.4
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 38.7
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 32.9

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X - DirectX 10

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 184
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 178
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 137
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 117

In-Game Tests

FarCry 2

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 61.1
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 56.1
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 52.7
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 47.2

Crysis WarHead

- 1680×1050 - 28
- 1920×1200 - 23

Unreal Tournament III

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 207
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 180
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 147
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 117

3DMark 06

Pixel and Vertex Shader

- Pixel Shader (1680×1050) - 865
- Pixel Shader (1920×1200) - 701
- Vertex Shader (Simplex) - 256
- Vertex Shader (Complex) - 130

FillRate

- Single - 13299
- Multi - 48895

3DMark Vanrtage

Total:

- Performance - 12937
- High - 8686
- Extreme - 5734

GPU

- Performance - 11471
- High - 7886
- Extreme - 5525

Benchmark Tests

3DMark 05

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 21867
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 21384
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 18099
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 17769

3DMark 06

- 1680×1050 (Filters off) - 16747
- 1920×1200 (Filters off) - 16115
- 1680×1050 (Filters on) - 13395
- 1920×1200 (Filters on) - 12301

By removing the heatsink, we can find the G200-105-B3 GPU (The GTX285 has the G200-350-B3) which indicates a number of Stream Processors equal to 240 and a memory bus of 448bit, and around the GPU there are the 14 GDDR3 chips, from Samsung, for a total of 896MB. Between the GPU and the outputs, there’s the classic NVIO chip.

The power supply area is rather clean and featuring 2 12v 6pin connectors. The cooling system is made of two parts: The main part is completely dedicated to the GPU and made of an aluminum base with five heatpipes and featuring two 70mm fans. The second part is another aluminium piece that covers the NVIO chip, the GDDR3 memories and the power supply area.